mixing 14 weeks with 2 weeks?

[StarEmpyre]

Hi guys! I've been lurking for the past 3 months, and finally bought my very first two chickens on the 29th of September (about a week after I found BYC).
Finally decided to make an account to ask this question


I plan on buying 2 more chicks during Christmas week, when my current chooks will be 12 weeks old, and I'd want to introduce the new ones to them after two weeks (so 14 and 2 weeks old respectively at that time)
Is that a bad idea, or will it be alright? Been thinking about this for ages now

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bullitt]

Hi guys! I've been lurking for the past 3 months, and finally bought my very first two chickens on the 29th of September (about a week after I found BYC).
Finally decided to make an account to ask this question


I plan on buying 2 more chicks during Christmas week, when my current chooks will be 12 weeks old, and I'd want to introduce the new ones to them after two weeks (so 14 and 2 weeks old respectively at that time)
Is that a bad idea, or will it be alright? Been thinking about this for ages now

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to Backyard Chickens, StarEmpyre.


That is not a good idea. You will have to wait until all the chicks are about the same size, which means when the younger chicks are say 3 months old or older.

If you would have asked about this earlier, I would have suggested buying all the chicks you wanted at the same time.

Can you find older chicks in your area that are the same age as the chicks you have? You could then put them all together.

 

[StarEmpyre]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens, StarEmpyre.


That is not a good idea. You will have to wait until all the chicks are about the same size, which means when the younger chicks are say 3 months old or older.

If you would have asked about this earlier, I would have suggested buying all the chicks you wanted at the same time.

Can you find older chicks in your area that are the same age as the chicks you have? You could then put them all together.

Thank you

Since it was my first time, I wasn't too sure about getting more than 2 at once, just in case I was overrun LOL. In retrospect, that probably would have been best, but it's obviously too late now :d

I'm not sure that I could find pullets the same age as my current ones, but I'll try again tonight.

The reason why I'd even try to incorporate more chickens at this point is because of the two I currently have, I strongly suspect one of them is a roo, which are banned in my city. Should I just wait to see if he/she crows and then find new flockmates for the other chicken?

 

[Bullitt]

Thank you

Since it was my first time, I wasn't too sure about getting more than 2 at once, just in case I was overrun LOL. In retrospect, that probably would have been best, but it's obviously too late now :d

I'm not sure that I could find pullets the same age as my current ones, but I'll try again tonight.

The reason why I'd even try to incorporate more chickens at this point is because of the two I currently have, I strongly suspect one of them is a roo, which are banned in my city. Should I just wait to see if he/she crows and then find new flockmates for the other chicken?

It is difficult to tell pullets from cockerels in newborn chicks. Why do you suspect one is a cockerel?

How old are your chicks now?

 

[StarEmpyre]

It is difficult to tell pullets from cockerels in newborn chicks. Why do you suspect one is a cockerel?

How old are your chicks now?

They're 9 weeks old now. I might just be giving this too much thought thought xD
I suspect that one is a cockerel because its hackle feathers are more pointed than the other one's, and it will puff them out when spooked, whereas the other one just freezes. Size-wise, the 'male' is smaller, but their bums also look very different. That could be because they're mixed breeds (Rhode Island Black x Australorp).
I will take and upload a picture soon to illustrate what I mean
They differ slightly in colour, which may be sex links, but I'd say it's more a result of their mixed breeds.

The one I think may be male is smaller than the other, but it has a slightly larger and redder wattle. Neither of them have spurs, though.

As for behaviour, the 'male' will follow the bigger chick around, but neither of them are particularly aggressive (only when they're pecking at my bandaids lol)

 

[Bullitt]

They're 9 weeks old now. I might just be giving this too much thought thought xD
I suspect that one is a cockerel because its hackle feathers are more pointed than the other one's, and it will puff them out when spooked, whereas the other one just freezes. Size-wise, the 'male' is smaller, but their bums also look very different. That could be because they're mixed breeds (Rhode Island Black x Australorp).
I will take and upload a picture soon to illustrate what I mean
They differ slightly in colour, which may be sex links, but I'd say it's more a result of their mixed breeds.

The one I think may be male is smaller than the other, but it has a slightly larger and redder wattle. Neither of them have spurs, though.

As for behaviour, the 'male' will follow the bigger chick around, but neither of them are particularly aggressive (only when they're pecking at my bandaids lol)

I would wait until you are sure if one is a rooster. If you do not want a rooster, then you can find him a new home.

By your spelling, I am guessing you are in Britain, Canada, or Australia. Where are you located?